The Trick
by Realilly
Summary: Holly has to do this. She has no choice. Artemis doesn't understand...even though he thinks he does. She has to do more than what he thinks, though she does it in the end, in the last moment. Only that moment. Warning: character deaths! angst!


**(A/N: I am currently too lazy to make a disclaimer. Because everyone knows that I'm too pathetic to write something really worthy of notice and publishing rights. :D So here's my latest work, an angsty fic about Artemis, Holly, death, understanding, and other good, happy stuff. Yeah…right…and just to warn you, Holly's kind of ooc, but you'll just have to deal with it. :D)**

The Detonator 3000 rested in her shaking hands as she aimed it carefully at him, and then she paused. Waited. Waited for him to turn around and acknowledge her presence, so she could go through with this. She had to go through with this. She knew that, but obviously her hands didn't—they continued to shake. And the mere thought of never being able to be with or even speak of Artemis Fowl II was enough to rouse tears. Tears she didn't know she'd ever had.

"I don't want to do this. You have to know that. But it has to be me." Her voice shook also, to match her hands. Her perfect, slim, pale hands that would soon be the instruments of murder. But this murder needed to be executed. And she was the only one who would do it like it needed to be done.

He stood up from the bench in the garden, rising slowly and turning even slower as he realized the situation he was in. He hadn't seen the gun, but her tone of voice told him that it was time. He had been waiting also. "I understand."

"No, you _don't!_ That's why I came—I made them send me. I understand you the most. Well—not quite understand. But…you're my friend. I just—I have to explain. I have to make you understand!"

"I do," he said softly, eyes on his shoes, or maybe the ground. He hadn't revealed his face yet, but—oh…as he tilted it to look at her straight on, the fading, burnt orange sunlight gave his face an eerie illumination. "I do understand. That's why Butler isn't here."

She shook her head, tears welling up in her eyes. But she wouldn't cry. It had to be her, and she had to make him understand. He _didn't_ understand, D'Arvit, he _didn't_!

"No—I believe you. I know you didn't do it. But if I don't do…_this_…then they'll kill me too," Holly explained urgently.

"I never thought of you as that kind of a person, Holly," he remarked, with some small bit of amusement in his voice. A dark smile crept onto his face. "Kill the victim so you stay alive. Are you that kind of person now?"

"I'm not—but if I'm dead, I can't help save the innocent fairies, and God knows what will happen to the population if I'm not there to rescue some of them." The tears began streaming down, one at a time, leaving a silver trail down her cheek. D'Arvit, she was even beginning to refer to Mud Men gods!

"And if you die?"

"I _won't_," she said fiercely, raising her proud head higher.

Artemis nodded his head, knowing that her words were true. She was too determined. "Holly…no offense meant, but are you sure that you can do this? You're just so…emotional."

"What…this?" she asked, voice quavering. Her eyes flickered downward to the gun in her hands for a second, and then they were returned to their steady gaze on his face.

"Yes."

"I-I have to. It's not a matter of whether I can or not." She stumbled over her words.

He disagreed, but loved her too much to say otherwise. "I'll miss you, Holly. Wherever I'm going."

"Oh, don't try to make me feel guilty!" she snapped. His eyebrows raised.

"I'm not trying to. I know why you have to do this. It's better it ends this way, anyway."

"What do you mean?" she asked, truly confounded. "You, Artemis Fowl, don't want to die in some great, heroic fashion? You'd rather be murdered?"

"This is," he whispered. "This is some 'great, heroic fashion'. Don't you see, Holly? No death would ever match me—except for something like this. Can you honestly see me dying in a wheel chair, or on the front lines of an army? Especially an army to fight yours?"

Holly shook her head slowly. "No…but you're only willing to die this way because it fits your personality?" She emitted a rueful laugh, but it was shaky. Two more tears fell.

He smiled. "No—but it makes sense, doesn't it? But also…" He spoke slowly now. This was the painful part. To Holly, but also to himself. He needed to think things out loud. He had to hear it himself, from himself. "What you said…about believing me? I don't believe it myself. I'm…I don't know." He blinked rapidly, hands running through his hair. "I don't know! I just…it's all a blur. I can't go back in time, though…"

Holly smirked through her tears. "You, Artemis Fowl, not able to do something? Even something as simple as go back in time?"

"Shut up!" he snapped. He was just as anxious and nervous as she was, Holly realized. Neither of them liked the position they were in. "It's just that…I'm afraid," he whispered. "I'm scared of what I'll see—if it was really my fault. It's all a blur in my mind, flashes of images that don't fit, swirled together. And I'm scared. I'm scared, Holly. I'm eighteen years old and I'm frightened."

Holly exhaled slowly, sobs racking her. But she wouldn't let him see more than her tears. Not that it mattered. He would be gone shortly anyway. But her pride wouldn't let her break down. No. Not in front of him. But…he was breaking down…in front of her…

"So I knew you would come. You fairies take such precautions."

"Like who? What?" asked Holly indignantly, through her blurred vision.

Artemis raised an eyebrow. "Foaly? Foil hat?"

A giggle escaped. And suddenly it was like old times, fun times. Laughing, making plans to save the world, creating memories. Why did she have to do this?

The same thought was going through Artemis's mind, but he didn't dare say it out loud. This was the only way things could be. He was blamed, and he might really be the criminal this time. Not knowing was the scariest thing in the world. But this had to be done…didn't it?

"We…we don't have to," Holly whispered. "I mean…_I_ don't have to…"

Artemis shook his head grimly. "This is just as much my fault as it is yours."

"But…does that mean you want to die? You want me to kill you?"

"This is how it has to be," Artemis stated simply. The laughter was completely gone from his voice.

"I could _pretend_ to kill you," Holly said desperately. "And then we could…I don't know…hide…"

"Why would you need to?" asked Artemis.

"I don't know…they'd track me. Make sure that I really _did_ kill you. And there's no sure way…I don't know…" Holly squinted at him. Her eyes were drying. There seemed to be more hope for the situation now. "You're so smart, why aren't _you_ coming up with reasons?"

He smiled softly. "Holly, please just get it over with."

"No." Holly was adamant. She had seen some hope, and she wanted more. "I'm not going to."

"Holly," Artemis pleaded, a new light in his eyes, "_please_ just pull the trigger."

But Holly would not. She lowered the gun so that it pointed to the ground. "I'm not going to kill you."

Artemis was anxious. He set his jaw. "_Just do it_."

Holly closed her eyes. This was what she had to do.

Time suddenly slowed down, crawling forward, a silence. Holly was thinking. Preparing. For this moment. Only this moment.

_Only this moment…_

A flash of metal catching a sun's ray of light. A silent bang ending a life within a thread's spin. A surprised, panicked shout with no beginning or end. A body dropping to the floor. A clatter against the ground. Another bullet—this one accidental—sent out into the world. An immediate death.

A grim smile in life's last moments. _Only one more moment…_

Then time returned to its normal pace, and she closed her eyes again. This time it was final. The smile was gone, disappearing into the realm of souls.

Holly Short had outwitted Artemis Fowl, but a treacherous force in the world had outwitted her. _This was the way things were meant to be._

And the seams fell apart, exposing a hollow center.

**(A/N: I like it. I must say, I like it. Yes, I'm an egomaniac. But I'm serious. I LIKE it!! I'm excited. I must say, I'm excited. Yes, I'm crazy. But I'm serious. I'm EXCITED. Do you think it has any potential? I'd like to have it nominated for…and win…an Orion Award…or two…lol. It's a website for Artie Fowl, but REALLY good ones. Do I have a chance? Yes, it's darker than stuff I usually write. MUCH darker, actually. Shrug. Oh well…I like it!)**


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